Automatic clutch control mechanism



Jan. 28, 1941. H. E. CLARKE AUTOMATIC CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Q NN mlm.[ll/ Il /s W mm.

, s Q /A Jan. 28, 1941.- E LARKE 2,230,133

AUTOMATIC CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM l Original Filed May 25, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 28, 1941.

AUTOMATIC CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Original Filed May 25, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet 5 H. i E. CLARKE 2,230,133 l 20 di@ l J 30 75 5 Jan. 2s,1941. H. E. CLARKE 2,230,133

AUTOMATIC CLUTCHA CONTROL MECHANISM Original Filed May 25, 1955 41lSheets-Sheet 4 P rtented Jan. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC CLUTCHCONTROL MECHANISM Harold E. Clarke, West Somerville. Mass.

Original application May 25, 1935, Serial No.

23,428. Divided and this application September 17, 1938, Serial No.230,453

6 Claims. (Cl. 1923.5)

, This invention relates to improvements in automatic clutch controlmechanism, particularly in which the clutch is engaged and disengagedautomatically through movement of the c gear shifting lever and is adivision of my prior application Serial #23,428, filed May 25, 1935, nowPatent No. 2,132,721, issued October 11, 1938.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for automaticallycontrolling a power oplu erated clutch through the normal movement ofthe gear shifting lever in which the clutch disengaged when the gearshift lever is in neutral position and is automatically engaged when thelever is moved to bring the gears into mesh. i6 My invention may be bestunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 isa side view of va part of an automobile showing rearward portion of themotor, the clutch housing, transmission, drive shaft and 20 the vacuumclutch control device. The upper part of the transmission casing isshown broken away to disclose, partly in vertical section a part of mymeans for controlling the clutch by movement of the gear-shifting lever;and the steering 25 post has been shown partly broken away, and

the front oor board in Vvertical section, to disclose the carburetorcontrol means.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the top of the motor and transmissioncasing, the vacuum actu- 3 ated clutch disengaging means, the valve forcontrolling the same and the arrangement of valve actuating rods orarms.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top view of the slidably mounted valve controlplate and attached parts, with the gear-shifting lever shown inhorizontal cross-section in the neutral position in the cross-overchannel of the underlying grid plate, as viewed in line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of the adjusting l" means forcontrolling the valve which controls the limits of return of thevacuum-actuated clutch disengaging means.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged bottomview of the grid *5 plate in the top of the transmission casing,inverted and showing the slidable members provided with dogs for movingthe gears, and means for mounting the same as in standard practice, theparts being positioned as when the transmis- 5U ison is in rst gear, andshowing also, in dotted lines, overlying the grid plate, my slidablymounted valve-control plate illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an enlargedrear view of the valve which controls generally the vacuum actuated toclutch disengaging means, showing the valve actuating arm and theadjacent part of the transmission casing and the spring which controlsthe normal position of the valve.

Fig. 8 is a top view on the line 8-8 Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the valve shown in Fig. 5 '7 the casing beingshown in medial vertical section revealing the cylindrical rotary valve.

Fig. 10 is a section on line Ill-III of Fig. 9, showing, as does Fig. 9,the valve in position to admit` atmospheric pressure to the vacuum 10chamber of the vacuum-actuated clutch disengagng means.

Fig. 11 is a cross-section on line II-II of Fig.

10 showing the narrow vertically elongated passage of the valve. 1 Fig.1,2 is an enlarged side view of the front end of the vacuum-actuatedcylinder and vpiston means for disengaglngthe clutch, showing the pistonand rod and control means engaging the same for regulating the return ofthe piston to permit clutch engagement, said control means and thefrontend of said cylinder being shown in medial vertical cross-section.

Fig. 13; shows anv enlarged medial vertical cross-section of thevelevated extension of the cover-plate of the transmission casing,carrying the conventional ball-socket joint for the gear shifting levertherein shown with my specially mounted coil spring thereon arrangedyieldingly to hold the gear shifting lever in its extreme forward orrearward positions notwithstanding counter influence to which the leveris subjected by other elements of my device.

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view on line I3--I3 of Fig. 12 showing themovable backing-plate for 35 the coil spring shown in Fig. 12 and theballs carried thereon.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings I is the motor, providedwith a carburetor 2 and intake manifold 3. 4 is the clutch housing, 4g 5the transmission casing and 6 the drive shaft provided with a universaljoint 1 and the usual parking brake assemblage 8. The conventionalclutch pedal arm 9 extends freely through a slot Ill in the frontfloor-board Il and is provided with an extension arm I2. The acceleratorpedal I3, hinged at its base to the front floorboard II is provided, onthe under side of its top portion, with a pivotally mounted push rod I4which is pivotally attached to an oscillating 50 arm I5 to which ispivotally attached, at the top thereof, the throttle valve control rodI6, the forward movement of which, upon the depression of theaccelerator pedal I3, opens the throttle of the carburetor 2 andaccelerates the motor I. 55

'Ihe conventional gear-shifting lever I1 carries a ball member I8 whichis loosely embracedby the'ball-socket housing formed by the top of thecover extension I9 of the gear-case cover 20 and the screw-cap 2I (seeFig. 13). The lower arm 22 of the gear-shifting lever I1 carries aflanged collar 23 (see Fig. 1), against which abuts the lower end of atapering coil spring 24, the upper end of which abuts against a slottedcircular plate 25 (see Figs. 13 and 14), through the slot 26 of whichthe lower arm 22 of the gear-shifting lever I1 loosely passes. The topface of the plate 25 is channeled by a groove 21 upon its diameter atright angles to the slot 26, on each side of which is mounted a ball 28,the top of which is retained in a slight cavity or pocket 29 in theunder face of a member 38, fixed within the top of the cover extensionI9 and provided with an enlarged opening 3I within which the lower arm22 of the gear-shifting lever I1 may swing freely. The coil spring 24 isunder considerable compression so as to keep the balls 28 within theirrespective sockets 29 notwithstanding the tilting of the plate 25 as theangular position of the lower arm 22 is changed in the process ofgearshifting. Since the axis of the spring, and consequently thedirection of its force, assumes an angular relation to the axis of thearm 22 whenever the gear-shifting lever I1 is moved from the neutralposition, it is to be noted that the force of the spring has a tendencyto move the gear-shifting lever I1 toward the extreme of either itsforward or backward position from neutral asthe case may be when theoperator is engaging a certain gear. The purpose of this function I willhereinafter explain.

To eifect control of the clutch through the action of shifting orpositioning the gear-shifting .lever I have shown, and preferablyemploy,-a

vacuum-actuated cylinder 32, provided with an atmospheric port 322 whichmay be attached to the side-frame of the car, as in Fig. 2, orelsewhere, and which contains a piston 33, the piston rod 34 of which isconnected by the length-adjustable, rigid link 35 to the lower end ofthe extension arm I2 of the clutch control pedalarm 9. The back end ofthe cylinder 32 is connected, inl the conventional manner, by a pipe 36to a control valve means 31 which in turn is connected, by a pipe 38,with the intake manifold 3. It will be readily understood, therefore,that when the valve means 31 is so set as to subject the back part ofthe cylinder 32 to the influence of the partial vacuum of the intakemanifold 3 the piston 33 will be retracted causing the extension arm I2of the clutch pedalarm 9 to be oscillated backward against the yieldinginfluence of the spring 39 thereby releasing the clutch, which may bepermitted to return to operative engagement under the inuence of thespring when the .partial vacuum in the cylinder 32 isyrelieved bychanging the `position of the valve within the valve means 31 so as toadmit atmospheric pressure to the chamber of the cylinder 32 back of thepiston 33.

Such clutch control means as above described and broadly viewed, are nowwell-known widely in use, and I shall now proceed to describe (first-1y) my improved valve means, (secondly) the mechanism for operating thesame through manipulation of the gear shifting lever and (thirdly) mymeans for controlling the return of the clutch into operative engagementafter being disengaged.

The valve means comprises the cylindrical casing 31 provided withopposite integral pipe connections 40 and 4I for carrying respectivelythe pipe 38 -to the intake manifold 3, and the pipe 36 to the rear ofthe cylinder 32. These pipe connections 40 and 4I are providedrespectively with passages 42 and 43. Within the cylindrical bore 44 ofthe casing of valve means 31 there is a closely fitting rotatable,cylindrical valve 45 which carries on its lower end a centrally locatedextension `46 of lesser diameter than the valve 45, so that there is anannular space 41 beneath the valve 45, which space communicates with theouter atmosphere through ports 48 and 49.

The valve 45 is provided with a transverse passage, or port 50 which mayregister with the passages 42 and 43, and its cylindrical periphery isprovided with two grooves or channels 5I and 52 which are locatedadjacent to and on either side ofthe end of the passage 5I) which mayregister with the passage 43. These grooves' 5I and 52 extend from thebase of the valve 45 to a point suiciently high to permit them toregister with the passage 43 and thus admit atmospheric air to thepassage and then to the back of the cylinder 32 whenever one of them iscaused to register with that passage upon the turning of the valve 45.It will be noted from Fig. 11 that the passage 43 is elongatedvertically and straight sided, rather than round so that the groove 5Ior 52 may register therewith to a considerable extent quickly as saidgrooves are being moved into registration therewith.

31, and Jcarried an integral central post 53 provided with atransversely mounted valve operat ing arm 54, which is located at rightangles to the passage 50. Overlying the top of the valve 45 is a feltwasher 55 which is held in place by the screw` cap 56 which is screwedupon the threaded top of said valve casing. The cap 56 is provided withan oil hole 51 through'which oil may be supplied to the felt washer 55from which it may seep down along the cylindrical faces of the inside ofsaid valve casing, and the outside of the valve 45, which is providedwith grooves 59 and 6,0 to assist in this distribution of the oil.y

To operate the valve 45incidentallyto theoperation of the gear shiftinglever I1, I have provided 20 on the upper part of the transmissioncasing 5, and guided by slots 63 and 64 therein respecl tively, (seeFigs. 3 and 6), I have provided a plate 65. The plate 65 has an aperturethrough ing lever I1. It will be noted from an examination of Figs. 3and 6 of the drawings that the'r opening 66 of the plate 65 is ofirregular contour, its sides being parallel and its front and rear edgeshaving staggered portions, vextending at right angles to the sides, soas to extend at right angles across the longitudinal parallel slots 61and 68 of the H shaped grid opening of the cover plate 20, which, bycontact with the lower.end of its arm 22 which passes through it, guidesand limits the movement of the gear shifting lever I1. When the plate 65is in the position inwhich it rests when the gear shifting lever arm 22is in the neutral position, as shown in, Fig. 3, which position'it thenassumes automatically because of means which I shall hereinafterdescribe, it will be noted that the front edge overlies the longitudinalparallel slots 61 and 68v slightlyl which passes the lower arm 22 of thegear-shift- .resultof ',theforegoing arrangexnent'of parts is that whenthearm 22 of the gear shifting lever I 1 is moved, by oscillation,.forwardly through the slots 61 and`68 toengage respectively thefirstand third speed gears, vin the manner of standard practice, there is aslight forward displacement foft'h'e sliding plate 65 when it isfengagedby arm 22, whereas when the said arm is moved backward through saidslots, to effect the engagement of the reverse and second speed gears,there is aifected substantially the same rearward displacement of theplate 65.

The plate 65 is operatively connected to the valve 45 by vmeans of therod 10 attached to the upturned flange 1I on the rear edge of saidplate. A bracket 10a attached to the cover extension I9, forms a supportfor the slidable rod 10 and its attached plate 65. The rod 10 carries atits rearward end a pin 12 which loosely enters a slot 13 in one end ofthe lever arm 14 which is pivoted on pivot 15 on the bracket 16 attachedto the back of the transmission casing 5. The

, other end of lever arm 14 is pivotally connected to one end of the arm11, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the rear end ofthe control arm 54 of the valve 45.

The opposite end of the control arm 54 is provided with a dependent pin18 (see Figs. 7 and 8) against which bears, on opposite sides thereof,the straight, extended ends of a coil spring 19 which embraces the topof the post 53. Between the ends of the coil spring 56 is a second pinwhich is fixed in an upright position on the top of the gear casecover-plate 2l). The tension of the spring 19 is such that its extendedends tend to bear against the pin 80 although either end may be forcedoutwardly from the pin 80 through the movement of the pin 18 as the arm54 is oscillated when the arm 22 of the gear shift lever, approaching anextreme of its oscillating movement within either of the slots 61 and68, contacts with and moves the sliding plate 65. When however the partsare in the position shown in Figs. 'l and 8 the plate 65 is yieldablyretained in the neutral position shown in Fig. 3, in which position thevalve 45 is so set that the valve passage 50 registers with the passages42 and 43, thus subjecting the cylinder 32 to the influence of thepartial vacuum of the intake manifold 3 so as to withdraw the clutchfrom engagement and hold it out of engagement. When however the plate 65has been moved into either an extreme forward or extreme backwardposition, by placing the car in gear through moving the gear-shiftinglever arm 22 into engagement with an end of one of the slots 61 and 68,a slight change of angular position of the valve 45 takes `place therebybringing either the passage 52, or the passage 5I, as the case may be,into registration with the passage 43, thereby relieving the partialvacuum behind the piston 33 in the cylinder 32, so as to allow theclutch to return to operative position under the influence of the spring39. It will be readily understood therefore that in the course ofoperation of the automobile, and incidentally to changing gears, theclutch is withdrawn from engagement in an automatic manner without needfor the operator to perform this necessary operation by pressing downthe clutch pedal.

In order to make disengagement of the clutch possible through use of thegear-shifting lever,

'so as wholly to eliminate the need of recourse vof the nclutch pedal, Ihave providedfora slight degree of.y freedom of `movement of thegearshiftingg lever, when `it. isin any geary meshing position,-so-thatgit may be moved slightly toward limit ofrits oscillation permittedby an end of eitherl of slots 61 orY 68. This `I have'v done by`providing that within the sliding platesv 82 and ,83 (see Fig.6)..whichareifastened by rivets 84 to the under sides of theslidemembers .6I and 62 respectively and provided respectively `withdependent dogs 85 and 86, adapted-to Aenter'channels in the hubs of`those transmission gears which they are designed to shift (according tostandard and conventional practice), the recesses 81 and 88, wherein maybe entered the arm 22 ofthe gear shifting lever l1 to effect movement ofthese plates, shall be of suiiicient width to permit some slight free,movement of the arm 22, from the limit of .a ,gear meshed positiontoward the neutral position, without sliding the plate 82 or 83 withwhich it is in 0perative relationship, so as to move the gear controlledby itsmovement. This free movement, however, `is suflicient to permitthe plate 65, which under the influence of the spring 19 always tends tofollow the arm 22 in the direction `the neutral position without-havingany effectto i disengage the transmission gears then inmesh as .a resultofv having. moved the lever from .the

of neutral position, to movesufliciently to cause the valve passage 50to register with ports 42 and 43, thus causingclutch disengagement.`

I have previously described the mounting of the spring 24 with respectto the arm 22 and the tendency of the spring yieldably to ,-actuate thegear to assure that the arm 22 shall not be accidentally displaced fromthe gear-shifting Y tendency of the spring 24 to return the arm.;22

in the opposite directionV since the friction of the arm 22 against theinner side of the slot 61 or 68, toward which the spring 24 tends toforcel it, is sufficient to hold the gear-shifting lever in the positionto which it has been moved by such slight manipulation without need forthe operator to hold it there.

I shall now proceed to the description of my means for regulating thereturnvof the piston 33 thereby controlling Athe speed of engagement ofthe clutch, or timing its engagement with respect to throttle operation.The frontend of the cylinder-32 (see Fig. l2) is provided with anintegral boss which is bored to form a bearing for the piston rodv 34.On the underside of the .boss 90 is a dependentdntegral boss 9| whichhas screwed into ay cavity in its base the top of a dash-pot meanscomprising an hydraulic cylinder. 92 provided with a piston assembly 93,the piston rod 94 of which passes upwardthrough a bore in the lug 9| andcarries upon its top a ball 95. The piston 34 has a cut away portiononits under sideabove the cylinder 92 which cut away portionhas a, flat.surface 9 6 and sloping surfaces 91 and 98. A washer 99 between the topof the cylinder 92 and the base of the cavity in the bottom of the lug9| 'closely embraces the piston rod 94 and prevents leakage of thehydraulic fluid for which I preferably use such a composition as iscommonly used for a hydraulic brake fluid. With such fluid the cylinder92 is lled by removal of the filler capscrew 99a which controls apassage from the exterior to the interior of the cylinder 92.

A rectangular passage |00 yextending upward through the piston 93 andthe piston rod 94 connects the chambers on each side of the piston 93.The passage |00 is controlled and closed on the downward movement ofsaid piston by a ball check valve |0|` within an enlarged pa'rt of thepassage |00 located in the lower end of piston rod 94. The ball checkvalve |0| is yieldably seated so as to close the passage 00 by means ofthe coil spring |02. A second coil spring |03 is compressed between thecase of the cylinder 92 and the under side of the piston 92 so that itat all times tends to force the said piston upward so as to bring theball 95 on the top of the piston rod 94 into engagement with the pistonrod 34; the by-passing of the fluid through the passage |00 freelypermitting such upward movement.

A second-'by-passing passage |04, to permit downward movement of thepiston 93 when the passage |00 will be closed by the ball valve |,0|, isprovided in the side of the cylinder 92. This passage |04 is controlledby a rotary cylindrical valve |05 which has a diametrically cut awayportion |05a affording a valve passage. The angular position of thecylindrical valve |05 is controlled by the valve control arm |06attached thereto, which arm is controlled by a wire cable |01 attachedat one end to the upper part of the valve control arm and, at the otherend to the throttle valve control rod I6, (see Figs. l, 4 and 5) whichpasses through a block |08 clamped thereon by the set-screw |09, whichblock |08 has slidably mounted therein the U shaped member H0, theposition of which may be regulated longitudinally with respect to theblock |08 by means of the nut which screws upon the upper threaded endof the U shaped member ||0 and bears against the forward side of theblock |08. The cable |01 is kept taut by the coil spring |I2 (see Figs.1 and 2) attached at one end to the top of the valve control arm |06 andat its other end to the exterior of the cylinder 32. It will be readilyunderstood, therefore, that the spring ||2 yieldably maintains thethrottle valve control system at the limit of its rearward position,Where it establishes an idling accelerator, until the throttle pedal |3is depressed. Hence by turning the adjusting nut and shifting theposition of the U shaped member ||0 with respect to the block |08 thesetting of the valve |05 may be effected and its position so adjustedthat when the throttle is fully retarded the valve 05 may be partly orwholly opened, or closed to an extent such that a considerableadvancement of the throttle control rod I6 is necessary to bring aboutsuch rotation of the valve |05 as will bring the valve passage intoregistration with the passage |04 on both sides of said valve therebypermitting the by-passing of fluid around the piston 93.

It will be readily understood that the by-passlng fluid -through passage|04 is necessary if the piston 93 is to move downward, since in thisdirection of movement the passage |00 is closed by the ball valve |0l,and the piston 93 must move downward when so forced by contact of theball 95 with slanting surface 98 on the piston rod 34 when said pistonrod is moving forward, to permit clutch engagement, unless said downwardmovement is checked by a closed condition of the by-pass passage |04which `will prevent the transfer of fluid from beneath the piston 93 tothe chamber above it. Hence it will be apparent that the return of theclutch into operative engagement may be stopped definitely and abruptlywhen the ball 95 encounters the surface 98, provided the valve i 05 isclosed, or

the valve |05 may be so -adjusted as to be slightly opened when itscontrol arm |06 is in the extreme of its backward position so that thefluid will by-pass slowly through said valve and permit the surface 98to pass slowly over the ball 95 to permit final engagement of the clutchin a gradual manner quite independently of any opening movement .of thevalve |05 in response to movement of its control arm |06 occasioned byadvancement of the accelerator pedal. As I have previously explained theopening of the valve |05 may be variously timed with respect to motoracceleration through use of ther foot throttle control, so it is quiteapparent that in the several ways described the return of this clutchinto engagement may be variously adjusted and controlled with or withoutreference to motor acceleration. It is apparent however that the moreabruptly and fully the motor is accelerated the more quickly the clutchwill be returned to its position of engagement when it has been whollyor partly checked by the total j or partial closure of the passage |04by the setting of the valve |05, when in .its normal position of rest.It is to be noted, however, that the ultimate outward movement of thepiston rod 34 is inevitably somewhat retarded, even when valve I 05 isopen, as the ball 95 and the piston 93 meets the yielding resistance ofthe coil spring |03 and the inevitably slight resistance incidental tothe transfer of liquid from beneath the piston 93 to above it. Hence theclutch can never become over-violently engaged so as to put too severe astress upon the motor and driven parts.

Of course it will be readily understood that the limit of outward orforward movement of the piston 34 may be initially adjusted to such aposition that its sloping surface 98 of the cut away portion thereofwill contact the ball 95 as the clutch is very close to its position ofrest at the point of firm engagement. Means for such adjustment willobviously 'be found in varying the length of the connecting link 35,which may be made adjustable as to length by means of the turnbuckle35a. or the angular setting of the extension arm |2 of the clutchcontrol arm may be made adjustable. I do not attempt to specify asdesirable or ideal any state of adjustment of my specified adjustablemeans for controlling the return of the clutch into engagement, as it isplain that in practice many different conditions are encountered, suchas variations in weight and power of cars, type and conditions ofclutch, and driving habits of the operator of a particular car. I pointout, however, that I have provided means for variously effecting thecontrol of the movement of the clutch into engagement such that suchmovement may be closely regulated to meet the need for smooth clutchoperation under a great 'variety of conditions.

It will'be readily apparentl from the foregoing that my device not onlyadds greatly to the convenience of driving an automobile by eliminatingthe need of clutch pedal operation by the driver when shifting gears,and upon other necessary occasions when a slight movement of thegearshift lever will sulllce to disengage the clutch, but also serves toensure a proper clutch engagement on the many occasions when even askilled and careful driver will inadvertently place undue stress uponthe motor and power transmission elements of the automobile by tooabruptly permitting clutch engagement in the presence of considerableengine speed. Thus the fallible human element is largely eliminated fromclutch control incidental to automobile operation thereby affording muchprotection to many elements of the automobile mechanism by the timelyand proper release and engagement of the clutch.

It will be readily understood also that many changes and modificationsof my above disclosed means may be made without departing from theprinciple of operation'of my device which is t0 provide a power operatedmeans for Ldisengaging the clutch the control element of which isgoverned through that movement of the gear shifting lever whichisemployed in gear shifting operations, and which is, further, to providea liquid containing dash-pot means to check and regulate the returnmovement of mechanism moved initially to eiect clutch release, theresistance of which dash-pot means is controlled by means activated bythrottle operation.

Although in the form of my invention speclcally herein albove describedI have referred to movement of the gear shifting lever to move gearsinto or out of meshed relationship, it is to be understood that theoperating principle is unchanged when that type of transmission isemployed wherein the gears are maintained in mesh and the so-called gearshifting lever corresponding to the old conventional type, engages ordisengages clutches associated v,with certain gears to bring about thesame effective gear operating results as obtained in the case of the oldstandard practice, and wherever in the following claims I refertoI the"meshing or unmeshing of gears or gearshifting I am to be deemed tointend by such language either form of 'gear operation.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character specified the combination of a gearshifting lever confined to movement in an H-shaped path, power operatedmeans for controlling clutch operation, control means for said poweroperated means, and means associated with and operated by said gearshifting lever to actuate said control means through the oscillatingmovement of said lever in a manner whereby the normal movement thereofinto position for meshing gears results in clutch engagement and thenormal movement thereof into neutral position results in clutch release.

2. In a device of the character specified the combination of a gearshifting lever, a movably mounted member provided with an aperturewhereby it may loosely embrace lan arm of said gear shifting lever, aspring operated means adapted yieldably to hold said movably mountedmember in a position such that said arm may contact therewith and movethe same against the resistance of said spring operated means as itapproaches the extremity of its forward and backward limits of movement,power operated means for controlling clutch operation, control means forsaid power operated means, and means connecting said movably mountedmember and said control means whereby movement of said movably mountedmember by said gear shifting lever arm for placing gears in mesh willinfluence said control means to cause clutch engagement, and movementthereof toward neutral position will influence said control means tocause clutch release.

3. In a device of the character specified the combination of a gearshifting lever, a movably mounted member provided with an aperturewhereby it may loosely embrace an arm of said gear shifting lever, aspring operated means adapted yieldably to hold said movably mountedmember in a position such that said arm may contact therewith and movethe same against the resistance of said spring operated means as it`approaches the extremity of its forward and backward limits of movement,and adapted to actuate said movably mounted member toward, and yieldablymaintains it in, a predetermined position such as to set the controlmeans for the power operated means for controlling the clutch inposition causing clutch disengagement power operated means forcontrolling clutch operation, control means for said power operatedmeans, and means connecting said movably mounted memberand said \controlmeans whereby movement of said movably mounted member by said gearshifting lever arm for placing gears in mesh will influence said controlmeans to cause clutch engagement, and movement thereof toward neutralposition will influence said control means to cause clutch release.

4. In a device of the character speced the combination of a gearshifting lever, a slidably mounted plate provided with means forengaging and 4shifting a gear and provided also with a recess into whichthe lower arm of the gear shifting levermay enter to engage said plateand move the same, said recess being of size sufficient to permit somefree movement of said arm therein, a spring operated means adaptedyieldably to hold said movably mounted member in a position such thatsaid arm may contact therewith and move the same against the resistanceof said spring operated means as it approaches the extremity of itsforward and backward limits of movement, and adapted to actuate saidmovably mounted member toward, and yieldably maintains it in, apredetermined position such as to set the control means for the poweroperated means for controlling the clutch in position causing clutchdisengagement, power operated means for controlling clutch operation,control means for said power operated means, and means connecting saidmovably mounted member and said control means whereby movement of saidmovably mounted member by said gear shifting lever arm for placing gearsin mesh will influence said control means to cause clutch engagement,and movement thereof toward neutral position will influence said controlmeans to cause clutch release.

5. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a gearshifting lever having an H-shaped movement, said lever being pivotally'manifold to the power operated means, said valve?``V means operable bythe gear shifting lever after* said lever has been moved to shift thegears to move said valve in either direction from its normal position,said valve being provided with means when moved from its normal positionto admit atmospheric pressure to the conduit between said valve and thepower operated means to permit engagement of the clutch.

6. In a device of the character specified, the combination fofla gearshifting lever pivotally aj: lpoint on the vehicle chassis.poiigerpperated'means fordisengaging the clutch, coi'trolbmeais Y i 4Abringing' said power-operated x'ie'ns into peration, and meansassociated with and beratedbv'sai'd gear shifting lever toactuatesaid,control means with the lever in neutral position to disengage theclutch and to release said power-operated means and permit clutchengagement as the gear shifting lever is moved to ,its nal positionafter .shifting the gears, the lo movement. of said gear shifting leverbeing confined to a path having the shape of the letter H.

' HAROLD E. CLARKE.`

